Who Da Man!
by sassie69
Summary: Josh proves what we have known all along that he is in fact Da Man.


Title: Who Da Man

Rating: Teen

Spoilers: None

This takes place in season four sometime between Debate Camp and Election Night. It is AU.

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine I'm just borrowing them for fun.

He saw the car pull up outside the office building; unfortunately he was still on the seventh floor. He glanced out of the window again just to make sure and smiled slightly as he saw a familiar blonde head of hair emerge from the front passenger seat. She leaned against the car and was soon joined by the tall and elegant driver who had walked around the hood and was now standing looking at the entrance with her arms folded. He could feel her irritation from up there.

"Mr Reynolds, I'm sorry but I really do have to go now sir. My ride's arrived." Josh gathered his files and put them in his backpack.

"Josh I was hoping to introduce you to my daughter. She's a lawyer here in town and a big supporter of the President." Mr Reynolds was effectively blocking the door which was the only exit.

"Hey I would love to meet her, however I am on really tight schedule today. Maybe when we come back this way, so if I could please just take a rain check sir? CJ Cregg is waiting for me and I don't fancy my chances if I'm not down there very soon! She'll probably tie me to the rear fender and drag me to the lodge." Josh's wide grin showed he was joking, although he did know CJ did not like to be kept waiting.

"Lodge?" Mr Reynolds enquired when he stopped chuckling.

"Yeah we're staying in a mountain lodge for tonight to hash out the final campaign plans." Josh explained.

Moving away from the door Mr Reynolds extended his hand to Josh, "It's been a pleasure meeting you Josh. President Bartlet most certainly will get our support. Four more years!" He finished with a chant.

Josh shook his hand and then hurried to the elevator.

"Well look who has finally deigned to show his face!" CJ raised her sunglasses to give Josh the full effect of her glare. Standing next to her Donna couldn't help but smile at the gulp Josh took as he blushed under the force of it.

"Josh you are so whipped by the women in your life!" Donna laughed.

"I am not!" Josh said indignantly as they all got in the car. He sat in the back behind CJ so the sisterhood could converse, but so he could see Donna.

"Okay guys and gals next stop the mountain lodge; a remote cabin where many a Deputy Chief of Staff has mysteriously disappeared. Ha ha ha ha!" CJ cackled the last part like a witch with the former being eerily reminiscent of a trailer for a horror b movie.

"Very funny." Josh smiled into the rear-view mirror and then poked his tongue out.

"Oh that is so grown up Mr Lyman. How old are you?" CJ said laughing.

"You know I could have been on a date with Mr Reynolds' daughter. She's a lawyer and really wanted to meet me." His smug expression made Donna laugh.

"I'm not sure you would have had anything in common Josh. I mean she's a real lawyer!" Donna looked round at Josh smiling sweetly as CJ burst out laughing.

"Okay, I see I'm the entertainment for the journey. Go ahead. I'm going to sleep; I was up all night sorting out the Driden fiasco." Josh took off his jacket and tie, putting the tie in the jacket pocket.

"Hey didn't you create the Driden fiasco?" CJ queried in the rear-view mirror.

Josh took a deep breath and rubbed his face, "You know that was Toby's mess CJ. Tell her Donna." Josh was now well into whining mode exacerbated by his tiredness.

"I have to say, it was Toby's mess. He's telling the truth." Donna confirmed.

"Well okay then sweetie. You settle down and sleep while Aunt CJ drives you home. Do you need pillow?" CJ's voice was sickly sweet.

"You don't have a pillow do you, I suppose?" Josh asked hopefully.

"No Josh this is a hire car and they don't come equipped for sleeping politicians." CJ scolded.

"Okay but you did offer. I'll lean on my jacket." Josh said as he got as comfortable as he could.

Donna sat watching the exchange smiling. Josh and CJ were really very fond of each other, like she and Josh. CJ was like Josh's big sister though. She was more like his, his what? She couldn't name it. Didn't want to name it, as if, she did, it would change it. "Get some sleep Josh; you will probably be up all night tonight as well." Donna smiled as she looked straight into those deep brown eyes.

"'kay." Josh smiled and closed his eyes.

Donna watched him for a while. CJ glanced at Donna smiling knowingly.

As CJ drove she and Donna chatted happily. Josh slept, Donna turning to check on him every so often much to the amusement of CJ.

CJ tried to avoid the oncoming truck. It was on the wrong side of the road on a bend. She swerved and before she knew it their car had lost contact with the ground. Donna and CJ screamed, Josh sat up and looked around, "What the….? Jesus!"

The car landed and rolled over several times coming to a stop on the driver's side. No one said a word, too stunned to speak. The airbags had gone off and everyone was wearing a seatbelt. Josh was the first to recover.

"Are…are you both okay? Donna? CJ?" Josh undid his seatbelt and moved carefully to between the front seats. He had to hang on as the car was on its side.

He touched Donna, "Are you hurt? Donna?"

"No I don't think so. I'm fine."

"CJ? Are you hurt?" Josh was concerned as CJ had yet to say a word.

"Yes...I'm…I'm…er…not hurt." CJ's voice was very shaky.

Josh touched her shoulder and in a soft voice said, "CJ? Its okay, we're alright. No one got hurt. There was nothing else you could do. Now take a deep breath because we are going to need to put our heads together to get ourselves out of here. We need you."

CJ took a few deep breaths and finally regained her composure. "Where are the phones?"

"My battery is flat." Josh said apologetically.

"I still haven't managed to get mine replaced." Donna looked at CJ hopefully.

"I have mine and it's got a full battery." She looked pointedly at Josh then at her phone, "No signal."

"Great we need to get out of this car." Josh tried the rear door. "Damn it won't open." Donna tried hers to no avail.

"CJ turn on the ignition and try the windows." Josh shook his head as they failed to open. He thought for a minute. "Okay I'm going to kick the window out, but I need to brace myself on something. Donna sit with CJ and I will lean against you."

CJ and Donna exchanged surprised looks but complied. They were not used to 'masterful' Josh.

Josh climbed into the seat Donna had vacated and leaned back against her as she sat with CJ. He brought both legs up and kicked the window with both feet. The noise made CJ and Donna jump. The window did not give.

"Josh maybe this isn't such a good idea." CJ tried to get Josh's attention but he was focussed on his task.

On the fifth try the window started to give and on the tenth it finally gave way. Josh took a minute to catch his breath. "Right now we need to get somewhere there's a phone signal, the road or a house." He reached into the back and retrieved his jacket and backpack, which he threw out the window. "I'll get out first then help you."

Josh climbed out of the car and knelt down on it. His face appeared at the hole left by the window. "Donna take my hand." He held his hand out to her and helped by pulling her up to join him. He then jumped down and helped her do the same. He went back for CJ and repeated the process.

CJ walked away from the car trying to get a signal. Josh looked at Donna, standing close. "You sure you're okay?" His voice was intimate and concerned.

Donna gave a slight smile. "Really Josh I'm fine, just a bit shaken." She shivered.

"Here take my jacket, you didn't bring one." Josh picked up his jacket, shook it out and helped Donna on with it. "CJ have you got a jacket in the car?" Josh called over to her.

"It was in the back." Josh nodded and once again climbed back into the car and returned with CJ's jacket."

"Still no signal." CJ sighed. "Thanks you didn't have to do that."

Josh shrugged. "It's going to get cooler, you'll need it."

Josh surveyed the area. They appeared to be in a small valley. There were faced with walls of grass and rock whichever way they looked.

"We're too low down we need to get higher." Josh decided.

Donna and CJ looked at the surrounding rock doubtfully. "I know it's not so steep but it's a long way Josh. Do you think we can make it?" Donna sounded unsure.

"We have to make it. We can't stay here. It could be days before anyone finds us." Josh was reassuringly certain. Both Donna and CJ had given Josh their purses, and CJ's briefcase, as he helped them out of the car. He looked at them. "We aren't going to get far if your hands are full. Take what you need from your purses and briefcase and put it in my back pack. Just the essentials please I don't want to be carrying half the make-up counter." He grinned as he said this and was rewarded with double eye rolls.

Now full, he settled his backpack on his back putting both straps on his shoulders to keep it secure and his hands free. He was unaccustomed to wearing it this way and took a while adjusting the straps to make it more comfortable. His dead phone was in there but CJ put hers in her jacket pocket.

They made steady progress at first the incline was quite gentle and the terrain not too rough. Luckily Donna and CJ were both wearing low heeled shoes.

After an hour they stopped to rest and CJ checked for a signal with no luck. "Damn phone companies. We need to do something about their coverage. It's in the wilderness you really need a cell phone!"

"Yeah I'll make sure we get on to that as soon as we get back. Never mind healthcare or education. Make the phone companies improve their coverage. That will be what will get Jed Bartlet his second term." Josh laughed.

Donna hit him on the arm. "What?"

"There's no need to be a smart ass Josh." Donna scolded.

"You say that but I was serious. I think CJ is onto a winner." Josh was rewarded with a swat on the head from CJ. She was surprised when genuine pain flickered across his face.

"Josh, are you okay?" CJ looked closely at her friend. He was a little pale.

"Yeah I'm fine. I've got a little headache. I must be a bit dehydrated; Mr Reynolds isn't exactly forthcoming with refreshments. It's a while since I had a drink." Josh smiled back up at her. "We better get going." He got up and helped Donna to stand then putting his backpack in place he started to walk.

Donna and CJ exchanged shrugs behind his back and followed.

The going began to get tougher. The incline increased and the terrain became rockier. Josh kept an eye on the women helping them climb over the larger rocks they couldn't circumnavigate. Half way up Donna tripped, Josh caught her but she cut her leg. They stopped to assess the damage.

"We need to dress this Donna." CJ looked at the three of them to see who had the most likely item of clothing for a dressing. He eyes landed on Josh who was wearing a dress and undershirt. Josh caught her eye and understood.

"Undershirt?"

"Yes I think that would make a better bandage." CJ confirmed.

"Josh you can't. You said yourself it's going to get colder. It already is colder. You need it." Donna shook her head as she spoke.

"Donna we need to stop the bleeding and keep the wound clean. It makes sense." Josh was undoing the buttons on his dress shirt as he spoke. He pulled it over his head when enough buttons were undone and his undershirt followed.

"CJ? CJ, here." He handed the warm undershirt to CJ who was temporarily distracted by the sight of a very buff half naked Joshua Lyman standing before her.

"Wow Josh I didn't know you had that hidden under your shirt!" CJ exclaimed, Donna chuckled she'd seen Josh change before but she still took a very good look.

"Well CJ to make it fair you could always show me what you have hidden underneath yours." Josh stood with hands on hips his expression challenging. His nipples erect in the cool air. He shivered and put his shirt back on.

CJ actually blushed and turned her attention to Donna.

"It's not too bad but this should keep it clean. Tear this up please Josh." Josh did as requested and handed the now destroyed undershirt back to CJ.

Once her leg was dressed and she could take some weight on it they carried on, but now Josh was semi-supporting Donna.

They came to what could have been called a cliff face. It wasn't sheer and they could see where it finished but it posed a challenge. Josh looked up deep in thought. He looked at the two women gauging their heights in comparison to the one they'd have to scale.

He turned to them. "Here's what we are going to do. I'll stand with my back to the rock and you use my hands and shoulders to climb up enough so you can get over the top. Then I'll climb as far as I can and maybe together you can help pull me over the top."

"Josh we'll hurt you." Donna was not happy about Josh's plan.

"No you won't. Anyway do you have a better plan?"

They both shook their heads.

"Right let's go. CJ you first as you're taller and Donna might need your help." He stood with his back to the rock, feet apart, knees bent and cupped his hands. CJ held on to his shoulders and put one foot into his hands.

"You sure about this Josh?" CJ checked before letting him take her weight.

"Yes now come on." He looked her straight in the eyes. He straightened his knees and lifted CJ up. She managed to scramble up him so she was on his shoulders and then pulled herself over the top of the cliff onto the next stage of their climb. It wasn't far for her from his shoulders.

"Okay?" Josh looked up at CJ.

"Yes, Donna I'll lean down to help you." CJ looked down as Josh and Donna started the same manoeuvre. They were very close and Donna could smell his sweat mingled with his cologne. They paused and got a little lost in each other's eyes. Shaking himself free of the moment Josh encouraged Donna to copy what CJ had done. As CJ helped Donna the last little bit he took a minute to get his breathing back to normal.

"Hey are you okay up there?" They looked down at Josh.

"Sure. We'll help you now." They both got ready to grab Josh.

He managed to climb some of the way but slipped and went back down.

"Josh! Josh are you okay? Are you hurt?" Donna sounded like she might want to jump back down to him.

"Ah…yeah…I'm a little bruised, that's all." Josh stood, wincing and brushed himself off. He tried again and this time he made it but has they helped pull him over the edge of the ledge his side was caught by a sharp rock. "Ow!" Once up he stood to look at what had hurt. Blood seeped through his once white shirt.

"Josh sit down let me look." Donna ordered.

They both examined Josh's side. "It's just a big graze. It'll be fine Donna." Josh reassured his worried assistant.

"Still no signal!" CJ was exasperated. She thrust her phone back in her pocket except she missed and they all watched in horror as it clattered down to where they had just come from. "Oh my god! The phone! What have I done?" CJ fell to her knees, covered her face and cried. Donna went to her while Josh looked down to the smashed phone. When they looked round he was gone.

Josh half climbed half slid back down to the phone. He knew it wouldn't work anymore but he also knew the battery was good. He planned to put the battery in his phone. If he could get back up that is. He was fast running out of energy and his headache was not helping.

"Where's Josh?" Donna looked around panicked by the sudden loss. CJ looked up, took a deep breath and told herself to get a grip. "Josh? Josh where are you?"

"Down here." Josh looked up as two concerned faces stared down at him.

"What the hell are you doing back down there?" Donna screamed at him.

"We need a phone. This is bust but we can put the battery in my one." He explained reasonably.

"You could have killed yourself!" Donna was still screaming down at him, her face red.

"Donna I'm okay. We need a phone. We need to get some help. Sam and Toby won't know where we are. They'll know soon we are missing, but they might just think we're running late. It could be hours before anyone tries so find us. I am sure Bruno and Doug will even be glad I'm not there to argue with them. So _they_ won't be sending out a search party!"

"You're right Josh, but it was still a stupid thing to do." Donna had ceased screaming and even smiled a little.

"Will you help me up again?" Josh asked hopefully.

"Sure we will idiot boy! I'm really sorry I lost it though." CJ tried to sound like her old self but it was obvious she felt she had let them down.

"You're still calling me idiot boy! I just saved the phone!" Josh's voice conveyed humour and mock disbelief.

"Okay action hero let's get you back up here." Donna laughed as she held her hands down to Josh.

He managed to climb back up without incident, although both CJ and Donna noticed him wincing when he moved. "Are you sure you're okay Josh?" CJ asked quietly, thinking if he was hurt he might not want Donna to worry.

"I'm fine." He left no room for argument.

Josh changed the battery in his phone. "Hey guess what? No signal!" he gave the phone to Donna to put in his jacket pocket.

After a short rest they continued with Josh still helping Donna, and CJ where necessary. A narrow rocky trail was leading them up towards the top of the hill and hopefully civilisation.

Progress was slow; they were all exhausted and thirsty. The terrain was making it difficult to walk without tripping. Josh didn't realise he was groaning until Donna pulled him to a stop.

"Josh, are you in pain?" Donna had forced him to sit down and then collapsed beside him. CJ followed suit on his other side.

Josh didn't answer, just stared out into the distance. Donna shook his shoulder. "Josh!"

He looked at her. "What?"

"Josh you're in pain. Where?" Donna demanded an answer.

"I think I cracked a rib when I fell. It hurts when I walk. That's all." Josh touched his side. "There's nothing you can do about it now Donna. I'll get it checked when you get your leg looked at when we get out of here. Okay?"

CJ lifted up Josh's shirt. "Wow you have a hell of a bruise here Josh. That must hurt like a bitch."

Pulling his shirt back down Josh turned to CJ smirking. "Now you've seen my body you just can't get enough can you CJ?"

"Very funny. Come on guys." CJ stood and held her hand out to help Donna up. Then they both did the same to Josh.

Three hours later they finally reached the top. It was getting dark and they found themselves at the side of the road they had been driving on.

"Donna do we have a signal yet?" CJ asked as they both sat down sighing.

"YES!!! Finally! We have communication." Donna grinned. "So who do I call? Toby? Sam? The Whitehouse?" Donna looked at CJ enquiringly.

The voice behind them was faint but they both heard it before he hit the ground. "911."

"Josh! Oh my god, Josh!" Donna was dialling 911 as she and CJ got to him.

The sense of déjà vu was overwhelming as they sat in the visitors' room waiting for news about Josh. Donna's leg had been cleaned and sutured. She and CJ had washed up a little and were wearing clean scrubs. The staff had made them have several hot drinks and something to eat, but they had been discharged. Josh had remained unconscious the entire time. The doctors hadn't let anyone see him yet and tests were still being done. Toby and Sam had arrived not long ago. They all waited nervously for news.

"You know he was amazing. It was like in the movies. He took charge, kicked out the car window."

"Josh did?" Tony sounded disbelieving.

"Yes he kicked the window out." CJ continued. "He carried all the stuff. We actually climbed up his body at one point."

"Really?" This time Sam questioned.

"It was a cliff face Sam. Josh put his back to it and got us to climb on to his shoulders to get to the top." CJ stared off a little as if reliving the event. "He fell once trying to get up to us, and then once he did get up I stupidly dropped the phone."

"CJ it was an accident." Donna touched the older woman's arm to reassure her.

"But you said it yourself he could have been killed. It was my fault he went back down. He got hurt doing that. You know he did." CJ was insistent.

"Josh went back down to get the phone?" Sam confirmed.

"Yes he did. He knew CJ's phone was too badly damaged but he wanted the battery so we could use his phone. CJ's right he was amazing." Donna nodded then continued rather too quickly. "He helped me after I hurt my leg. He only had a shirt on. I had his jacket and we used his undershirt as a bandage. He must have been so cold. He'd been up all night so he was tired to start with. CJ and I finished a bottle of water in the car but he hadn't had a drink for ages. He was in pain but just carried on and made sure we were okay. He got us out of there. He made us do it. We didn't realise how badly he was hurt." Donna's voice broke at the end as she began to cry.

Sam put his arm around her and pulled her into a hug allowing her to cry on his shoulder. "Sshh."

They all looked up as the door opened and the doctor walked in. "You're here for Josh Lyman?"

They all nodded. "Yes, how is he?" Toby stood as he spoke.

"He's regained consciousness. He has a fractured skull and two fractured ribs plus many cuts and bruises. We'll be keeping him in for a while. The skull fracture is fairly small but painful and there is still the risk of bleeding. He'll need to rest for a couple of weeks at least." You can go in to see him but no more than one at a time and no longer than 15 minutes each."

"Thank you." Toby spoke for all of them.

"Donna you go first." CJ suggested.

He was lying very still in the bed. The cardiac monitor beeped with a reassuring regularity. Donna studied the rest of the information displayed. Oxygen sats 98%, pulse 86, blood pressure 135/84. Not too bad she thought. All those hours in GW at Josh's bedside has taught her something. Looking down at Josh now she could see how pale he was, his eyes opened to look directly into hers.

"Hey." He whispered reaching out for her hand.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" She smiled, squeezed his hand and perched on the edge of the bed.

"Crap. I know it's a cliché but I really do have a headache tonight." He smiled at her, brown eyes shining a little more than before.

Laughing Donna moved her head closer to the very handsome man in the bed. "I'll let you of this time." She brushed his lips with hers. "It's time."

"Yeah?" He smiled despite his throbbing head.

"Yeah, but first we have to define it."

"I can't think well enough for that. You'll have to do it. Name it."

"I'm scared it will change it."

"Never." He grunted as he tried to lift his head to kiss the lips so close and yet so far.

"Lovers?" She tilted her head to one side.

"You are my girlfriend and I love you. There I named it for you." He smiled as she leaned down to kiss him lightly mindful of his injuries. "So we can tell people now?"

"Yes I know I didn't want to before but today has made me think. It's time"

"Great." Josh's eyes were closing as he slipped back to sleep.

Donna gazed at him and kissed lightly on the forehead. "You are most certainly Da Man."

The End.

Feedback always welcome.


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